Ministers urged to give Galloway locals ‘meaningful say’ on national park plans

The Scottish Government is being urged to hold a referendum on plans to create Scotland’s third national park – despite the rural affairs secretary having already ruled out such a ballot.

Mairi Gougeon dismissed the idea of having a referendum on plans for a national park in Galloway when she appeared before a Holyrood committee last week.

But now councillors in the area are to vote on the issue, with a motion calling for a referendum to be held due to be debated at the next meeting of Dumfries and Galloway Council.

It has been lodged by independent Councillor Dougie Campbell, who insisted the ongoing consultation “is dividing our communities in a way I have never seen before”, claiming that locals are being left feeling “disempowered” by the process.

With a demonstration from supporters of the No Galloway National Park (NGNP) campaign set to take place outside the council when the meeting to discuss the motion takes place on Thursday, December 12, Mr Campbell said: “The bedrock of democracy is people having a meaningful say on their own future.

“The proposal that Galloway is designated as Scotland’s next national park could have significant ramifications for generations to come.

“The ongoing consultation is dividing our communities in a way I have never seen before, and people feel disempowered. That’s why it’s important that the Scottish Government stands by its very own values of supporting rural communities, community empowerment and local decision making. There can be no better way to demonstrate this by holding a local referendum.”

At the time, Gougeon stressed a consultation was taking place on the proposed Galloway National Park, telling MSPs: “I think it’s important we see that through.”

She also insisted the consultation would produce “wider qualitative information” about the proposed new national park.

Speaking about the consultation process at Holyrood’s Citizen Participation and Public Petitions Committee last week, the rural affairs secretary said: “I’m in favour more of that process because I think within that we ask people if they want a national park within that area.

Asked directly if she was ruling out a local referendum on the plans, she replied: “Yes.”

The consultation, run by NatureScot, on the proposed Galloway National Park is due to run until February 14.

It comes after the Scottish Government announced plans to create a new national park there in July – with the country already having national parks in the Cairngorms and Loch Lomond and the Trossachs.